Pattern means for knitting machines



April 22, 1969 LE ROY D.'H|LL ET AL 3,439,513

PATTERN MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Sheet 1 0:4

Filed Sept. 25, 1967 April 22, 1969 LE ROY o. HILL ET PATTERN MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Sheet 1 of 4 Filed Sept. 25. 1967 April 1969 LE ROY 0. HILL ETAL 3,439,513

PATTERN MEANS FOR mu'r'r'me MACHINES 4 Filed Sept. 25, 1967 Sheet of 4 United States Patent U.S. Cl. 66-154 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention disclosed herein relates to straight bar or full-fashioned knitting machines for knitting flat fabric blanks and more particularly to pattern mechanism for controlling the operation of the machines during knitting cycles to form courses of the fabric blanks and during fashioning cycles to fashion the selvages of the blanks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention is specifically directed to the pattern mechanism of a full-fashioned knitting machine for controlling the machine in knitting cycles to form plain courses of flat fabric blanks and in fashioning cycles to fashion the selvages of the blanks, including indexing means for the pattern mechanism, counting means, means operated by the pattern mechanism to condition the counting means for predetermined counting cycles to form plain courses of the fabrics, means for inactivating the indexing means during a counting cycle, means controlled by the pattern mechanism and counting means for instituting a fashioning cycle during the last count of the counting cycle, first means controlled by the counting means for operating the indexing means following the last count of a counting cycle, a means for inactivating the first means for operating the indexing means to permit successive repeats of a counting cycle and the fashioning cycle associated therewith, and a second means operated by the movement of a fashioning spindle of the machine to operate the second means for the indexing means following the last count in the last counting cycle of the counting means.

Description of the prior art Heretofore full-fashioned knitting machines for knitting flat fabric blanks were provided with a main pattern mechanism, such as shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,516,514, having a pattern chain with links for controlling the knitting cycles of the machine and separate links for controlling the fashioning cycles of the machine. The pattern mechanism also included chain saver means in the form of a counting wheel which was activated for a counting cycle from the chain and which inactivated the indexing means for the pattern means for the same number of knitting cycles each counting cycle. However, unless the number of knitting cycles between the fashioning cycles and the knitting cycles, also including other machine functions, was greater than the number of knitting cycles determined by the counting wheel it was necessary to maintain the counting wheel inactive. Hence while the chain saver did reduce the length of the chain to some extent the chains required for many fabric styles still extended along substantially the entire length of the machine.

In order to eliminate the lengthy link type pattern chains pattern mechanisms have been developed, such as shown in U.S. Patents Nos. 3,069,881 and 3,141,316, which include an electrical system having course counters for counting the knitting or course forming cycles of the machine, separate function counters for counting fashioning cycles or other functions of the machine, a pattern tape, indexing means for the tape, and a series of levers for reading a pattern of holes or other indioia in the tape for setting up counting cycles in the course counters to be followed by an operation of the indexing means to advance the tape or for setting up counting cycles in both the course and function counters whereby the machine is operated through a plurality of course counting cycles of the same extent each of which is followed by a fashioning cycle or other machine function after which the indexing means is operated to advance the tape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly summarized the invention resides in the provision of pattern mechanism for a full-fashioned knitting machine including a main pattern device having a pattern tape reader means for reading indicia on the tape, counter means controlled by the reader means for operating the machine through a plurality of knitting cycles followed by a fashioning cycle or other machine function during which the pattern tape is maintained inactive, means for indexing the tape, first means controlled by the counter means for operating the indexing means to advance the tape following the last count of the counter means and institution of a related fashioning cycle or other machine function, means for inactivating the first operating means for the indexing means to permit the counting cycle and a fashioning cycle to be repeated a plurality of times, and a second means controlled by the movement of a fashioning spindle of the machine during the repeated counting and fashioning cycles to operate the indexing means to advance the tape.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view diagrammatically illustrating portions of a full-fashioned knitting machine including pattern means and control means for the pattern means in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG, 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line and in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line and in the direction of the arrows 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view of a portion of the mechanism as viewed in the direction of the arrow 5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line and in the direction of the arrows 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line and in the direction of the arrows 7--7 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 8 is a view diagrammatically illustrating an electrical operating circuit for the control means of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings there is diagrammatically shown portions of a full-fashioned knitting machine including a camshaft 10, cams 11 and 12 on the camshaft, a follower 15 cooperating with the cams, and a pattern lever 16 operating through connections diagrammatically shown at 17 to control the follower for axially shifting the camshaft between a knitting position for operating the stitch forming means (not shown) to form courses of flat selvaged fabric blanks such as for sweaters and the like and a fashioning position to fashion predetermined courses of the fabric blanks in the conventional manner. The earns 11 and 12, follower 15 and connections 17 form a part of the conventional camshaft shifting means more fully disclosed in U.S. Patent spindle, the spindle and nut coacting with a similar spindle and nut at the right end of the machine to control the endwise movement of yarn carrier rods (not shown) during formation of the fabric courses. The spindle 18 is adapted to be turned in one direction by pawl and ratchet means 21 to move the nut toward the right or in a narrowing direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, to narrow the fabric courses and in an opposite direction by pawl and ratchet means 22 to move the nut toward the left or in a widening direction. The pawls are operated by means including a cam follower 23, a cam 25 on the camshaft which is moved to coact with the follower when the camshaft is shifted to fashioning position, a cam 26 on the camshaft which coacts with the follower in the knitting position of the camshaft to operate the pawl and ratchet means 22 to operate the spindle and nut in the widening direction and the follower is shifted into alignment with the cam 26 by operafing connections diagrammatically shown at 27 under the control of a pattern lever 30 similar to the lever 16. A cam plate 31 on the spindle 18 is normally positioned to activate pawl and ratchet means 21 and inactivate pawl and ratchet means 22 and the camplate is positioned by the connections 27 to activate pawl and ratchet means 22 and inactivate pawl and ratchet means 21 when the connections 27 are operated to shift the follower 23 into alignment with the cam 26. The spindle and operating means therefor as above described are of the type commonly provided on full-fashioned knitting machines and are more fully shown and described in US. Patent No. 2,655,018, issued Oct. 13, 1953.

The pattern levers 16 and 30 are only two of a series of similar levers for controlling the various operating mechanisms of the machine, the pattern levers being adapted to be controlled and operated by a tape type pattern mechanism 35 (FIGS. 1 and 2) of any suitable type but which is preferably of the type disclosed in the application of Le Roy D. Hill and Robert M. Sanders, Ser. No. 663,050, filed Aug. 24, 1967, to which reference may be made. Each of the pattern levers 16 and 30 is operated to institute operation of its associated mechanism by one arm 36 of an actuating lever 37 pivotally mounted on a shaft 40 and one or more of which is associated with each pattern lever. Normally the levers 37 are in an inactive position in which the arms 36 thereon are out of engagement with their associated pattern levers, as shown in FIG. 2, and the levers when selected as hereinafter set forth are operated to active positions to move the arms 36 thereof to engage and move their associated pattern levers to operating position.

For moving the levers 37 between inactive and active positions each lever has a second arm 41 which is positioned between upper and lower ribs 42 and 45, respectively, of an oscillating member 46 pivotally mounted on the shaft 40. Each actuating lever 37 has an associated lever 47 pivotally mounted on a shaft 50, the lever 47 having one arm 51 the free end of which is adapted to be moved into position between the lower rib of the oscillating member and the arm 41 of the lever 37. The lever has a second arm 52 for engagement with a selector lever 55 having one end pivoted on a shaft 56. Each selector lever 55 is provided with a downwardly extending pin 57 for reading engagement with a row of holes formed in a pattern tape 60 trained over a drum 61 rotatably mounted on a shaft 62 carried in a fixed part of the machine, and one or more idler wheels (not shown) rotatably mounted in the machine. A toothed ratchet 65 secured to the drum 61 is adapted to be en gaged by a pawl 66 pivoted on a lever 67 oscillatably mounted on the shaft 62 (FIG. 4). The lever 67 and pawl 66 are moved counterclockwise from a position determined by a stop member 70 fixed on the machine to index the ratchet 65 and tape a distance of one tooth of the ratchet by a member 71 slidably mounted in the machine. As disclosed in said application Ser. No. 663,050

the member 71 is connected to and operated by cam 0perated means which is under the control of a solenoid but for purposes of simplicity the member is shown herein connected to and operated by a core member 72 of a solenoid 75. A spring 76 connected between the lever 67 and a fixed part of the machine returns the lever to a stopped position against the stop member 70 and a spring 77 or other suitable means returns the member 71 and core member 72 to the position of FIG. 4 following each movement of member 71 to index the tape 60.

The selector levers 55 are normally held in raised inactive positions in which the pins 57 are out of engagement with the tape 60 and the levers 47 are in inactive positions in which the free ends of the arms 51 thereof are out of the path of the lower rib 45 of the oscillating member 46. When the selector levers are lowered toward active position to read the tape, those selector levers the pins 57 of which encounter a hole in the tape will continue to their fully lowered active positions to move their associated levers 47 to the active positions of FIG. 2 to be operated by the rib 45, during a counterclockwise movement of the oscillating member 46, to move their associated levers 37 to the active positions and operate their associated pattern levers. On the other hand the selector levers, the pins 57 of which engage a portion of the tape without a hole, will be arrested in an intermediate inactive position and the levers 47 associated therewith will remain in their inactive positions. Following movement of the actuating levers 37 to active positions by the action of the selector levers 55, the levers 37 are again moved to inactive positions to inactivate the associated pattern levers. For this purpose a second lever 80 is provided for each of the selector levers 55 and actuating levers 37. The levers 80, which are pivotally mounted on a shaft 81, each have one arm 82 adapted to be moved between the upper rib 42 of the oscillating member 46 and the associated lever 37 and a second arm 85 for engagement with the free end of the associated selector lever. When the selector levers 55 are in raised inactive positions or resting on the tape 60 as hereinbefore set forth, the levers 55 turn the levers 80 to position the arms 82 thereof in the path of the rib 42 of the oscillating member 46 and the oscillating member then acts through the arms 82, during movement in the clockwise direction, to move the associated levers 37 to inactive positions, if these levers were previously moved to active positions.

All of the selector levers 55 are raised to their inactive positions by one arm 86 of a lever 87 pivotally mounted on a shaft 90 carried in fixed position in the machine. The lever 87 has a second arm 91 which is connected to a core member 92 of a solenoid 95 and the solenoid is operated by means and in a manner hereinafter set forth to turn the lever counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 2 to permit movement of the selector levers toward active positions, as above set forth, by springs 96 connected to each of the selector levers.

The pattern mechanism 35 also includes a group of control levers 97 (FIGS. 1 and 3) pivotally mounted on the shaft 56 and each of the control levers is provided with a pin 100, similar to the pins 57 in the selector levers 55, for reading a row of holes in the pattern tape 60. The control levers 97, which are shorter than the selector levers 55, are provided with downwardly projecting arms 101 for operating a bank of micro-switches for purposes hereinafter set forth. The control levers 97 are normally maintained in lowered tape reading positions by springs 102 whereby those control levers the pins of which encounter holes in the tape will be further depressed to operate their associated micro-switches while the other control levers the pins of which do not encounter a hole in the tape will be maintained by the tape in an intermediate inactive position. The control levers 97 are moved from lowered positions to fully raised inactive positions by one arm 105 of a lever 106 also pivotally mounted on the shaft 90. A second arm 107 of the lever 106 is pivotally connected by a link 110 to one arm 111 of a lever 112 pivoted on a fixed stud 115 (FIG. 3). A second arm 116 of the lever 112 has a roller 117 for engagement with a cam rise 120 on the member 71 which acts, as the member is moved toward its tape indexing position, to move lever 112 to turn lever 106 clockwise as viewed in FIG. 3 to raise control levers 97 to inactive positions prior to the movement of lever 67 by member 71 to index the tape. The lever 106 is provided with a stop screw 121 adapted to engage the arm 86 of lever 87, when the lever 87 is positioned by the solenoid 95 to inactivate the levers 55, to insure that the latter levers will be maintained out of reading engagement with the tape when the tape is indexed.

The micro-switches operated by the control levers 97 and the solenoids 75 and 95 are connected into an electrical operating circuit, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 8 including main conductors or buses 122 and 125 which are connected to a single phase source of electrical energy. The bus 125 is connected to a lead 126 which is connected through a group of normally open microswitches 127 to a conventional counting device 130 of the Binary Coded Decimal System type, the switches 127 being adapted to be closed by a corresponding group of control levers 97 to set up course counting cycles equal to the full counting capacity of the counting device or to set up course counting cycles followed by the operation of one or more of the selector levers 55 to institute a fashioning or other machine function, in the manner hereinafter set forth, while the lever 67 and pawl 66 is maintained inactive to idle the pattern tape 60. The circuit from bus 125 through lead 126, switches 127 and counting device 130 is completed through a lead 131 to the bus 122. The lead 126 is also connected to the counting device 130 through a normally open switch 132 and a normally closed contactor 135 of a switch or relay 136, the switch 132 being closed by a cam 137 on the camshaft 10, also shown in FIG. 1, to reduce the count, set up in the counting device by the control levers 97 and the switches 127, by one each rotation of the camshaft. The contactor 135 is carried on a core member 140 of the relay 136 which is operated by a coil 141. The count ing device 130 may be of the type in which the count is increased by ones to obtain the total count set up therein and then reset to zero or may be of the type in which the total count is set up therein and then reduced to zero.

The coil 141 is in a first control circuit of a first means for operating the pawl 66 to index the pattern mechanism 35, the circuit including the lead 126, a second switch or relay 142 having a normally open contactor 145, a normally open switch 146 to the coil 141 and from the coil through a lead 147 to the bus 122. The operating member of the switch 146, which is normally in its full line position, is adapted to be moved to its dotted line position (FIG. 8) to close the circuit through the switch 146 to the coil 141 by one of the control levers 97. The contactor is carried on a core member 150 of the relay 142 which is operated by a coil 151. The coil 151 is in a circuit including a lead 152 connected to the lead 147 and a lead 155 connected to the zero side of the counter device 130. The circuit through coil 151 is adapted to be energized by the counter device during the last count thereof in a counting cycle to operate the core member 150 and move the contactor 145 to closed position. When the operating member of switch 146 is positioned to close the circuit through the coil 141 when contactor 145 of relay 142 is closed, the coil 141 is energized to operate the core member 140 to move the contactor 135 to open position to terminate the counting impulses generated by the switch 132. Closing the circuit through the coil 141 also closes a circuit through a lead 156 and through an operating coil 157 of solenoid 95 to the lead 147 to operate the core member 92 and turn lever 87 counterclockwise to permit movement of the selector levers 55 to tape reading position, as hereinbefore set forth.

When the circuit through coil 141 is energized to operate the core member 140 of relay 136 to move the contactor 135 to open position, as above set forth, a normally open contactor 160 on the core member is closed. Closing contactor 160 closes an operating circuit including a lead 161, a normally closed contactor 162 carried on a core member or actuator 165 of a relay 166, a normally closed contactor 167 carried on a core memher or actuator 170 of a relay 171 and through a contactor 172 to an operating coil 175 of solenoid 75 is the lead 147. The contactor 172 is carried on a core member 176 of a mechanically latched relay 177 of a conventional type in which the core member is adapted to be moved to and retained in rightor left-hand operating positions as viewed in FIG. 8. The core member 176 is moved toward the right to move the contactor 172 from an open position to a closed position by a coil 180 having its opposite ends connected to the lead 161 and a lead 181 connected to the bus 122. Following the last count in a counting cycle of the counter device 130, the circuit through relays 136, 166 and 171 is closed to energize the coil 180 to, with core member 176 in its lefthand position, move the core member and contactor 172 toward the right when the switch 132 is closed by the camshaft. This closes the circuit through the contactor 172 to the coil 175 thereby operating the core member 72 and member 71 to first turn lever 1 06 clockwise and move the control levers 97 to raised inactive positions and then to move lever 67 to index the pattern mechanism as hereinbefore set forth. When the member 71 is to be operated to move the levers 97 to inactive positions and index the pattern mechanism without a movement of the selecting levers 55 to tape reading position following the last count of a counting cycle, the operating member of the switch 146 remains in its full line position to close a circuit through the relay 142 and a lead 182 to the coil 175 of the solenoid 75. i

It will be seen from the foregoing that the pattern mechanism 35 is adapted to be idled through plain course counting cycles controlled by counting means preset from the pattern mechanism and a counting cycle may be followed by a machine function such as a fashioning operation of the machine and then an index of the pattern mechanism or the pattern mechanism may be indexed following a counting cycle without any special machine function. In accordance with the instant invention the pattern mechanism is also adapted to be idled through a plurality of counting cycles of the same extent each of which is to be followed by a fashioning operation of the machine and the last of the counting cycles and fashioning operations to then be followed by an index of the pattern mechanism.

The means for idling the pattern mechanism 35 for such plurality of counting cycles includes a reading head 185 (FIGS. 1, and 5 to 7) having a first member 186 secured to a bracket 187 secured to the nut 20 for endwise movement with the nut in the fabric narrowing and widening directions and a second member 190 also secured to the bracket and to the first member. The first and second members 186 and 190, respectively, are provided with upper and lower guide grooves 191 and 192, respectively, for sliding engagement with upper and lower guide rails 195. The guide rails 195, which extend horizontally along the back of the machine, have their ends secured as by screws 196 to brackets 197 which are in turn secured in fixed positions on the machine. Mounted in slots 200 formed in the facing sides of guide rails and between inner faces 201 and 202 of the members 186 and 190, respectively, is an elongated card-like member 205 of opaque material. Strap 206, secured to the guide rails 195 by screws 207, carry pins 210 to releasably engage apertures 211 in the ends of the member 205 to anchor the member against endwise movement and to permit ready removal and substitution of one member for another.

The member 186 is provided with pairs of apertures 212 extending transversely of the member, as viewed in FIG. 6, with one aperture of each pair adapted to receive a light source element 215 and the other aperture of each pair being adapted to receive a light source element 216. The elements 215 and 216 are retained'in the apertures 212 by a retaining plate 217 secured to the member 186 by screws 220. The member 190 is also provided with pairs of transversely extending apertures 221 with one aperture of each pair receiving a photo-electric cell 222 in registry with a light source element 215 and the other aperture receiving a photo-electric cell 225 in registry with a light source element 216. The cells 222 and 225 are retained in the apertures 221 by a plate 226 secured to the member 190 by screws 227. A pair of the apertures 212 containing light source elements 215 and 216 and apertures 221 aligned therewith containing photo-electric cells 222 and 225 constitute a set for controlling fashioning operations in both narrowing and widening directions.

In the instant application there are three of such sets shown with each set being adapted to control the fashioning in the different fabric blanks required in making a sweater garment. The element 215 and cell 222 of each set read a row of transparent portions or holes 230 in the member 205 to control the fashioning during movement of the spindle and nut in the narrowing direction and the element 216 and cell 225 of each set read a row of similar transparent portions or holes 230 in the member 205 to control the movement of the spindle and nut in the widening direction.

As shown in FIG. 8 the light source element 215 and photo-electric cell 222 of each set for controlling fashionings in the narrowing direction are in a second operating or control circuit including a normally open switch 231 which is adapted to be moved to closed position by one of the control levers 97 or by some other suitable form of pattern means. One side of each switch 231 is connected to the lead 126 and the other side of the switch is connected through a lead 232 to stationary contacts 235 and a normally open contactor 236 on the core member 165 of the relay 166 to one of the elements 215 and cell 222 units and from the latter through a lead 237 and a closed contactor 240 on the core member 176 of the relay 177, when the core member s in its left-hand position, to the lead 161 connected to the coil 175 of solenoid 75. The core member 165 of the relay 166 is operated by a coil 241, which is in a circuit including the bus 125, and a lead 242 to the coil and from the coil through a normally open switch 245 and the lead 181 to the bus 122. The switch 245 is adapted to be operated to closed condition byone of the levers 97 under the control of the tape 60.

The light source element 216 and photo-electric cell 225 of each set for controlling fashionings in the widening direction are in a third operating or control circuit. This includes the switches 231, each of which is also connected through a lead 232 to stationary contacts 246 and through a normally open contactor 247 on the core member 170 of the relay 171 to one of the elements 216 and cell 225 units, and from the latter through the lead 237 and contactor 240, when the latter is closed, to the lead 161 of coil 175. The core member 170 of the relay 171 is operated by a coil 250 which is in a circuit including the lead 242, a normally open switch 251, which is adapted to be operated to closed condition by one of the control levers 97, and the lead 181. The core member 176 is moved to its left-hand position, as viewed in FIG. 8, to move the contactor 240 to closed position and the contactor 172 to open position by a coil 252 when this coil is energized in the manner and for purposes hereinafter set forth.

The coil 252 is in an operating circuit including the lead 126, a normally open contactor 255, of a time delay relay 256 to the coil and from the coil to the lead 181. The contactor 255 is carried on a core member 257 of the relay which is operated by a coil 260. The coil 260 is connected between the leads 147 and 156. The time delay relay 256 is of a conventional type that can be set to delay the energization of the coil 260 for selected time periods.

When the pattern mechanism 35 is to be idled for a predetermined number of count-ing cycles each of which is to be followed by a fashioning operation of the machine in the narrowing direction, a hole is provided in the tape 60 for the selector lever 55 for operating lever 16 which controls shifting of the camshaft 10 to fashioning position, holes are provided in the tape for operating the appropriate levers 97 and switches 127 to set up the required count in the counting device 130, a hole is provided in the tape to operate the lever 97 associated with the switch 146 to close the circuit through the switch 146 to the coil 141, a hole is provided in the tape to operate lever 97 associated with the switch 245 to close this switch and energize the coil 241 to operate the core member 165 and move the contactor 162 to open position and to move the contactors 236 to closed positions and a hole is provided in the tape to operate the lever 97 associated with the appropriate switch 231 to close it. At this time the circuit through switch 146 to the coil 175 of the solenoid is open and inactivated, the core member 176 of the relay 177 is in its righthand position to open contactor 240 and close contactor 172, the first control circuit through relays 136 and 166 to the coil 180 is open and inactivated and the circuit through the selected switch 231, relay 166 and the element 215 and cell 225 to the coil 175 is maintained open by the card-like member 205. Thereafter, during the last count of each counting cycle of the counting device the coil 151 is energized to close relay 142 to energize the coil 141 and operate the core member 140 to open contactor 135 and close contactor of relay 136, while the circuit to the coil through the contactor 162 of relay 166 remains open, and to energize the circuit through the coil 157 of solenoid 95 to operate the lever 87 to permit the selector lever 55 to be lowered to institute a fashioning operation of the machine. It is to be noted that the coil 252 of the relay 177 is not energized at this time due to the time delay action of the relay 256 and the coil 252 is only energized to move the core member 176 to the left to close the contactor 240 following the fashioning movement of the spindle 18 during the fashioning operation of the machine. The counting device 130 is then reset by the same control levers 97 and switches 127 to open the circuit through the coils 151 and 141 to return the relays 142 and 136 to their initial condition. The mounting cycle of the counting device and the operation of the lever 16 by the selector lever 55 is then repeated until the element 215 and cell 222 encounters a hole 230 in the member 205 during movement of the reading head 185 and nut 20 in the narrowing direction. When the element 215 and cell 222 encounters a hole 230 in the member 205 the second control circuit through the element and cell unit and cont-actor 240 is energized to operate solenoid 75 and member 71 to index the pattern mechanism 35 to set up another course counting and machine operating sequence.

During movement of the member 71 to index the pattern mechanism all of the control levers 97 are raised to inactive positions for reselection and to permit the switches, previously closed by the control levers to open. At this time while the switches 231 and 245 are opened to cause the contactors 236 of relay 166 to be moved to open position and open the circuit through the contactor 240 of the relay 177 to the coil 175, the contactor 162 of the relay 166 is closed to energize the coil to operate and move the core member 176 to the right to open contactor 240 and close contactor 172 thereby simultaneously closing the circuit through the relays 136, 166 and 171 to the coil 175 to operate the solenoid 75 and member 71 to index the pattern mechanism. When further fashioning operations of the machine in the narrowing direction are to occur holes are provided in the tape 60 to cause operation of the appropriate levers 97 to close the switches 127 to set up the required count in the counting device 130, to close the switch 146 to the coil 141, to close the switch 245 to operate the relay 166 to open the contactor 162 and close the contactors 236 thereof and to close the appropriate switch 231. Also a hole is provided in the tape 60 beneath the lever 55 for operating the pattern lever 16 to cause the camshaft to be shifted to fashioning position. Also at this time although the element 215 and cell 222 are still aligned with the hole in the member 205, the core member 176 of relay 177 remains in its righthand position in which the contactor 240 is open to main: tain the solenoid 75 de-energized. After completion of the first counting cycle of the counter device 130, the circuit for the coils 141 and 151 are energized and the lever '55 is lowered to cause a fashioning cycle to operate the nut 20 in the narrowing direction to move the element 215 and cell 222 out of registry with the hole in the member 205 so that the circuit through lead 237 to the solenoid 75 is opened by the member 205. Energization of the coils 141 and 151 also energizes the coil 260 of relay 256 after the preset time interval to close the contactor 255 and energize the coil 252 to again shift the core memher 176 to the left to close the contactor 240 and open the contactor 172 this action occurring, however, only after movement of the spindle to move the element 215 and cell 222 out of alignment with the hole in the member 205 during the fashioning operation of the machine. The parts then remain in this condition to repeat the counting cycle and following fashioning operation until the elements 215 and cell 222 again encounter a hole in the member 205 to cause the indexing of the pattern mechanism as above set forth.

When the course counting cycles of the counting device 130 are to be followed by fashionings in the widening direction a hole is provided in the tape for the lever 55 associated with the pattern lever 30, and the third control circuit is conditioned by providing a hole in the tape to operate a control lever 97 to close switch 251 to operate the core member 170 of relay 171 to move the contactor 167 to open position to inactivate the control circuit through relays 136, 166, 171 and 177 to the solenoid 75 and to move the contactors 247 to closed position and a hole is provided in the tape to operate a control lever 97 to close the appropriate switch 231. Operation of the indexing means for the pattern mechanism 35 is then controlled by the element 216, cell 225 and the holes associated therewith in the member 205 during the fash- 'ioning operations of the machine in the widening direction in the same manner as above set forth in connection with fashioning operations in the narrowing direction.

It is to be understood that while the novel improvements have been described herein as including a reading head mounted on and movable with a fashioning nut of the machine and having light source and photo-electric cell units for reading holes in a card-like pattern member for controlling indexing movement of the pattern mechanism of the machine after predetermined fashioning movements of the nut, the fashioning nut may be provided with other means controlled by the fashioning nut such for example as means for operating a series of micro-switches or the like which are positioned along the path of movement of the nut to control the indexing movements of the pattern mechanism. Also in lieu of a stationary card and a movable reading head as described in detail above the card may be made movable with the nut and adapted to be read by stationary reading heads.

Of course the improvements specifically shown and described by which the above results are obtained, can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

We claim:

1. In a knitting machine for knitting courses of flat selvaged fabric blanks, said machines having a rotary camshaft having knitting and fashioning positions, means for fashioning the selvages of said blanks including a fashioning spindle, a member on said spindle, means for turning said spindle in opposite directions to move said member in narrowing and widening directions to narrow and widen said fabric selvages, pattern means for controlling the operation of said machine during knitting and fashioning operations, indexing means for said pattern means, counting means for" counting multiples of courses to be knitted, means operated by said pattern means for instituting counting cycles of said counting means, means for operating said counting means through said. counting cycles, means controlled by said counting means for instituting an operation of said spindle turning means to move said member in one of said opposite directions during the last count thereof in a counting cycle, and first means controlled by said counting means to normally operate said indexing means to advance said pattern means following said last count in said counting cycle, the improvement comprising means for inactivating said first means to maintain said indexing means inactive and permit operation of said counting means through repeated counting cycles and said operation of said spindle turning means to move said member in said one of said opposite directions following each of said repeated counting cycles, second means to operate said indexing means while said first means is inactivated, and means controlled by the movement of said member in said one of said opposite directions for operating said second means.

2. In a machine according to claim 1 in which the movement of said member in said one of said opposite directions is in said narrowing direction, and said means for operating said second means includes first energizing means controlled by the movement of said member in said narrowing direction.

3. In a machine according to claim 2 in which the movement of said member in said one of said opposite directions is in said widening direction, and said means for operating said second means includes second energizing means controlled by the movement of said member in said widening direction.

4. In a machine according to claim 3 in which said inactivating means for said first means includes means operated by said pattern means, and in which said second means also includes means controlled by said pattern means and means controlled by said inactivating means.

5. In a machine according to claim 4 in which said means operated by said counting means includes an electrical operating circuit, switch means in said circuit, means operated by said pattern means for operating said switch means, and said first means to operate said indexing means includes a first control circuit in said operating circuit and there is means operated by said counting means following said last count in said counting cycle thereof to energize said first control circuit to operate said indexing means.

6. In a machine according to claim 5 in which said means operated by said counting means to energize said first control circuit includes means operated by said pattern means.

7. In a machine according to claim 6 in which said first control circuit includes normally closed first and second members, and said means for inactivating said first means includes a first actuator operated in said pattern means for moving said first member to open position and a second actuator operated by :said pattern means for moving said second member to open position.

8. In a machine according to claim 7 in which said second means to operate said indexing means includes a second control circuit a normally open member in said second control circuit adapted to be operated to closed position by said first actuator when said first actuator moves said first normally closed member to open position, normally open switch means connected in said second control circuit movable to closed position by said pattern means, and said means controlled by the movement of said member on said spindle including means acting during movement of said member in said narrowing direction to energize said second control circuit to operate said indexing means when said normally open switch means is closed by said pattern means.

9. In a machine according to claim 8 in which said second means to operate said indexing means also includes said normally open switch means, a third control circuit connected to said switch means, a normally open member in said third control circuit adapted to be moved to closed position by said second actuator when said second actuator moves said second normally closed member to open position, and said means controlled by the movement of said member by said spindle including means acting during movement of said member in said widening direction to energize said third control circuit to operate said indexing means, when said normally open switch means is closed by :said pattern means.

10. In a machine according to claim 9 in which said means controlled by the movement of said member includes a pattern member having rows of openings therein, first reader means on said member connected to said second control circuit, and second reader means on said member connected to said third control circuit, said first reader means acting to read the openings in one of said rows during movement of said member in said narrowing direction to energize said second control circuit to operate said indexing means, and said second reader means acting to read the openings in a second of said rows during movement of said member in said Widening direction to energize said third control circuit to operate said indexing means.

11. In a machine according to claim 10 in which said second control circuit includes a plurality of normally open members adapted to be operated to closed positions by said first actuator when said first actuator moves said first closed member to open position, a normally open switch associated with each of said plurality of normally open members movable to closed position by said pattern means, and said means controlled by the movement of said member includes a pattern member having rows of openings therein, a first reader means in said member associated with each of said normally open members in said second control circuit, each of said first reader means acting to read the openings in an associated one of said rows in said pattern member during movement of said member in said narrowing direction when said normally open member and said normally open switch associated with said first reader means is in closed position to energize said second control circuit to operate said indexing means.

12. In a machine according to claim 10 in which said third control circuit includes a plurality of normally open members adapted to be operated to closed positions by said second actuator when said second actuator moves said second closed member to open position, a normally open switch associated with each of said plurality of normally open members movable to closed position by said pattern means, and said means controlled by the movement of said member includes a pattern member having rows of openings therein, a second reader means on said member associated with each of said normally open members in said third control circuit, each of said second reader means acting to read the openings in an associated one of said rows in said pattern member during movement of said member in said widening direction when said normally open member and said normally open switch associated with said second reader means is in closed position to energize said third control circuit to operate said indexing means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,077,778 4/1937 Start 66-155 X R 2,169,979 8/1939 Richter et al 66-155 2,324,221 7/1943 Luhn 66-155 XR 2,439,990 4/1948 Ryan 66-155 2,516,514 7/1950 Haehnel 66-155 3,069,881 12/1962 Warren 66-154 3,141,316 7/1964 McCarthy 66-154 FOREIGN PATENTS 865,364 4/ 1961 Great Britain.

999,144 7/ 1965 Great Britain. 1,057,878 2/1967 Great Britain.

RONALD FELDBAUM, Primary Examiner.

US Cl. X.R. 

